Route 1 - Gananoque to Marble Rock

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A place to begin is at the public dock in front of the town’s Heritage Village. There are parking lots just across the street. In actual fact, begin the exploration at the Arthur Child Heritage Centre. The displays and gallery have a great introduction to the history and culture of the region, and the town. Shops around the village include a book store, souvenirs and treats.

Trip Length / Distance:

The distance from the St. Lawrence to Marble Rock dam is a little more than 11 kilometres, and with the portage, possibly four to five hours on the water. The trip is worth beginning at the St. Lawrence itself, but would involve one necessary portage just a short distance above the St. Lawrence, at series of falls and a dam.

Route One ends at the Marble Rock Dam. IMPORTANT: At present, there is no sanctioned portage around the dam between Routes One and Two. The east side of the River at Marble Rock is private property. DO NOT TRESPASS. Portaging around the dam on the west side of the river is at your own risk.

The southernmost section of the Gananoque River is below the dam at Marble Rock. The river empties into the St. Lawrence River in the town of Gananoque. The distance from the St. Lawrence to Marble Rock dam is a little more than 11 kilometres, and with the portage, possibly four to five hours on the water. The trip is worth beginning at the St. Lawrence itself, but would involve one necessary portage just a short distance above the St. Lawrence, at a series of falls and a dam. At present, however, while there is a public walkway over most of the length of the portage around the falls, the actual access point on the lower section of the river has not been finalized.

Therefore, if your trip originated on the St. Lawrence, or should you want to tour the first segment of the Gananoque River, for the present it would be a short excursion for its own sake. This lower section of the Gananoque River is very interesting because it gives insight into the relationship between the river and the community over two centuries of the town’s existence.